


Bake Me Lovely

by ElopeToTheSea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Bakery and Coffee Shop, M/M, art student riku, wicca sora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 19:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21167003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElopeToTheSea/pseuds/ElopeToTheSea
Summary: Riku stumbles upon a small bakery that has the cutest kitchen witch he's ever seen.





	Bake Me Lovely

There was a bakery three blocks down the apartment, that Riku had never been to before. On his way to college, he’d pass it, giving it nothing more than a side glance and a sigh. The pastries inside always looked delicious, but he couldn’t stop because classes were soon to start, and no amount of cream cheese filling could make him arrive late to Computer Graphics.

But when his roommates had decided to be absolute _pricks_ and play their music as early as eight in the morning, he resolved that trying out the coffee at that little bakery was a perfect way to start the day. Especially if it meant getting away from Axel before he committed manslaughter.

So, he embarked on his journey to the bakery with only his bag slouched over his shoulder, still in sweater and sweatpants, hoping the cold November air didn’t make him freeze to death in the middle of the street. Thankfully, the weather was merciful, and he arrived at the place without a frostbite. Although not without shivering and a runny nose.

Riku sneezed just as the warm air of the store hit him. His head ached from the cold, sleep deprivation and his roommates being complete assholes. He knew he was most likely a mess. A half ponytail was all he managed to do with his hair before rushing out, and the bags underneath his eyes were hardly a good look. And most times, he _wouldn’t_ care. He couldn’t begin to point out how _little_ he cared.

But he was currently face to face with the cutest person on earth, cheerfully cleaning up the store, even though it was eight in the _fucking_ morning and no soul had any right to be so happy at this hour.

Riku instantly knew he was screwed.

The first thing that entered his senses was the soft tune of a familiar song. One he perhaps had heard once but couldn’t pinpoint where. So familiar, that he could mutter the words under his breath with no issue. The soft piano came from speakers, while the lyrics floated in the sweetly scented air came from the boy wiping down the table by the side with a flowered patterned cloth.

Riku had to force himself to consciously breathe. Eyes glued to the petite frame that sang as if enchanted in place by the sight. The boy’s movements were soft but efficient, moving through the air like a nymph spellbound by dance.

“_With a smile and a song… life is just a bright sunny day-_” A laugh, ever glowing and soft like feathers on a bow. “-_Your cares fade away, and your heart is young_…”

His voice was far from professional, going off sometimes and little hiccups of tone could be heard. But there was a cheerfulness to it. A strange, contagious laugh hidden in the way he sang. One that invited you to join in.

And then he was staring into deep blue eyes, drawing him in like the sweetness of a hot chocolate in a cold December morning. For a second, Riku was aware of how creepy it was just to stare at someone. Especially when he looked like an absolute mess. But through the boy’s eyes, no sign of fear or confusion flashed by. Instead, a precious smile spread through,

Riku’s face was burning up, trying his best not to look at the boy’s face directly. It felt remarkably similar to trying to stare at the sun for too long.

“Ugh…” he tried to say, but the words were caught in his throat. “I-Is it open?”

“Sure!” the boy said, and Riku had to fight back a deeper blush as he saw he was wearing a frilly polka dot apron that had Minnie and Mickey plastered across the seam. “You can take the menu from the counter!”

Riku nodded, knowing his voice would come out in a stutter if he tried to say anything. The boy – _Sora_, the nametag in his chest said. His name was _Sora_ – shot him a smile as he walked to the back of the store. Riku did as he was told; took the menu from the counter and went to sit on one of the tables by the window.

It didn’t take long for the boy to come bouncing back unto the store, holding a notepad and covered in flour. Riku had to hide his face behind the menu, so his blush and smile weren’t blatantly obvious.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!” the boy exclaimed. “You decide what you’re gonna have?”

“A black coffee is okay,” Riku replied.

The boy frowned, tilting his head to the side. The gem he held around his neck, caught the light in a tiredly glow. The soft tint of yellow shining through made Riku’s mind clear for a second.

“You sure?” Sora asked. “You seem tired…Wouldn’t tea be better?”

“Tea?” Riku blinked. He didn’t drink it all that often.

“It has less caffeine,” Sora continued. “And I think it tastes better!”

“I really don’t know all that much about tea…” Riku confessed, feeling a bit shy at it.

“Ah, then I’ll give you my recommendation!” Sora was quick to cheer on. “Lemongrass is good, but I’d recommend cinnamon tea since the weather is so chilly today!”

Riku nodded absent-mindedly, not sure which was the difference between the two, but not wanting to let down the boy. Anything warm was good enough at this hour.

“Great! Do you want anything else? The melon pan is fresh out of the oven!”

At the mention of the pastry, Riku couldn’t help nodding. He had escaped the hellhole that was his apartment in such a rush, he hadn’t eaten breakfast. Freshly made melonpan sounded _really_ good.

“Sure,” he said, handing the menu back to Sora. Just as their hands touched, a tingle traveled from Riku’s fingertips through his body. He shivered, pulling away quickly.

“I’m sorry!” Sora exclaimed, quick to turn red in the face. “I am so, so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” Riku said, shaking his hands slightly. “There’s a lot of static in the air. Don’t worry.”

“Yeah…s-static, right?” Sora said, a nervous laugh in his face, as he walked backward into the door that led to the back. “I’m gonna get your order!”

With that, he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Riku blinking. 

* * *

Sora wanted to scream into a pillow and never show his face again. Just as he closed the door behind him, his hands went to grab his face and breathed heavily. It was burning red! He closed his eyes, trying to swallow down the embarrassment from his emotions going haywire. And by consequence, his own magic. 

Had he really tried sharing energy with a stranger!? What would Roxas think!?

It’s not like he had done it on purpose! But the stranger seemed so tired and so sad, and Sora just wanted to make him feel better! Make him smile the slightest bit. Cinnamon tea was the best for wide smiles, after all! But in his excitement, his magic slipped past his fingertips and traveled to the stranger with ease.

“I’m the worst,” Sora whined, hiding his face in his palms.

He quickly shook his head. This was no time for moping. He had to get to work. Right! Hands went to grab one of the white mugs from the side of the sink.

The teapot was full of water, so all he had to do was turn on the stove as he rushed through the cabinets in search of the tea. His eyes searched through the rows of canned leaves, trying to find the right one.

Mint, Green, Black, Chamomile…

Cinnamon!

Sora reached for it, opening it to smell the insides. A sweet but strong aroma filled him, the familiar scent of the woods coming from the small container. His smile grew, and he walked towards the teapot. Two teaspoons went into the little bag and the sound of a familiar tune intermixed with scent.

The piano of a Disney song echoed in the little bakery, as Sora worked his way through the little cup of tea he was brewing. Unconsciously, he began humming. The tea was ready, and he added a spoonful of honey, stirring the hot beverage with the image of the stranger in his mind.

Five stirs clockwise, five counter wise and make a wish.

“Let them smile,” Sora whispered. He tapped the edge of the mug three times, sealing his prayer in the hypnotic sound of silver against ceramic.

His hands reached for the oven, where the melonpan was still freshly out. It wouldn’t be long before his regulars came by, so he took out the entire tray and placed them on the display. However, a quick glance made him take saved the biggest, fluffiest one he had and place it by the cup of tea waiting by the side of the stove. 

Sora wanted to believe he was doing it because it was his very first customer of the day. That it was important to make people feel welcomed in his little bakery! But even to him, it sounded like an excuse.

He just _really_ wanted to see the handsome stranger smile. Sora had the gut feeling that such a smile alone, was brighter than the sun.

* * *

The bakery was soon brimming with life. The sound of people greeting each other, and the rumbling of their footsteps as they walked towards the little baskets of freshly baked bread that sat near the window.

Riku brought the cup of tea to his lips, as he dusted away the eraser shavings that crumbled around his notebook. The peculiar taste of sweetness and spicy flooded his mouth, still not quite used to it. But the warmth was still welcomed, and it _had_ caffeine. Not as much as coffee did, which in this case was good. Riku wasn’t sure if he could handle another caffeine-induced slump.

That said, the melonpan was heavenly.

A single bite had Riku realizing why the little bakery had so many customers going and coming, all ordering different types of pastries. They were really good. The melonpan, in particular, was almost instantly sold out. From adults to children, they all bought it. Not that he could blame them. The fluffy texture and vanilla taste were addicting, sweet and warm.

But it wasn’t just the delicious pastries that made the place so popular. Just…the general feel was so comforting. Riku finally realized what the piano was playing through the speakers. They were Disney songs. Ones that anyone could sing along and drown themselves in the sound. Even he had been unable _not_ to sing underneath his breath when _Once Upon A Dream_ came along.

The air in the bakery just seemed filled with _magic_. The kind Riku had never felt before in any other place. As if starlight was blooming from Sora’s fingertips as he greeted every customer with a smile. The laughs that echoed, whenever the old ladies would gossip with the small boy, or when the little kids would start babbling about how much they loved the “piggy bread” Sora made. The smell of vanilla and cinnamon would float into the room, every time a new tray was out of the oven, and every time Riku’s stomach growled in desperate need have a new one.

Although he was supposed to be doing his homework, he couldn’t find the strength to do that, when all he wanted to do was curl up on the table and relax with the air of gingerbread floating around. So, all he did was doodle on the sketchbook, hoping this silent moment would be enough to seep through the cracks of his daily life.

He stole glances at Sora, graphite running through the empty pages. The boy reminded him of the ocean. A beach, perhaps. With the warmth of the sun hitting your face, and the breeze of the waves tangling your hair. Sand that’s hot to the touch, heavy breathing as you stare down the twilight after running along for long. Almost like looking back, to the time when he lived in Destiny Islands. A far away call from home. A familiarity he couldn’t name.

“Want another one?” Sora interrupted his thoughts.

Riku’s eyes widened, quick to go hide the sketchbook with his arm, and then look up at Sora. Blue eyes that shimmer like the star-filled sky, were looking at him with curiosity. Riku’s heart skipped a beat, and he opened his mouth to reply.

“What?”

He had never been eloquent while panicking.

But thankfully, Sora didn’t seem to take it the wrong name. Almost as if looking through whatever façade everyone else said he had, Sora laughed. A tiny, whipped cream laugh. Soft and sweet.

“I meant,” Sora continued, this time pointing at the mug empty. “If you want me to bring you anything else?”

“Ah…” Riku thought, looking through the spaces of the little bakery. The melonpan was already sold out -the sign on the little basket with a little smiling mouse was a good indicator for that- and he wasn’t sure what was better to have. Besides, it was getting late and he had to actually do his homework if he didn’t want Ansem to absolutely fail his ass. “…I should get going. How much do I owe you?”

Sora’s cheerful smile fell. For the slightest bit. Just a millisecond. Probably missed if Riku hadn’t grown so used to staring at it for the last couple hours. But it was quick to return, as Sora gave him the check.

He paid for it, and packed up to leave, trying his best not to stare at the sketch he had made while he stared at Sora. Enough embarrassment for one day, let’s be honest.

“Hope to see you again…hmm?” Sora said. The mischievousness in his eyes didn’t go unmissed by Riku, who quickly caught on to the little boy’s intents.

He smiled.

“Riku,” he replied. “Hope to come back again, Sora.”

And just like the sight of sunflowers blooming, Sora’s beaming smile came through. Slow but full of light. Riku wished he could see that smile every day until the time ran out.

///

When he arrived home, he finally dared to look at the sketchbook. Surprisingly, despite his now clearer mind and unbiased eyes, the sketch still looked decent. Not much unlike the kind, he would draw back in Destiny Island. Back then, all he could really see was the infinite beach and the blue ocean that ran across. Now, however, he could draw whatever he wanted. See the sights of a million worlds and explore things.

A quick glance to his other projects, had him doubting the slightest bit about it. They were all things his teacher had told him to do. It was rare for him to draw what _he_ wanted. Buildings and perspective mostly. When was the last time he sat down and painted the sky? The top of a building, or the trees that stretched through the ground below?

It was a heavy, unsettling feeling.

His latest assignment was to create a 3D model of an irregular shaped object using the weird program his teacher had insisted on. His original idea was to make something easy. A cup or a jar.

But his mind drifted back to Destiny Islands. The days he would spend running around the san, staring into the horizon. Dreaming of capturing those words with his hands and the colors that stained them. And beneath the scent of sunscreen, salt, and sand…there was a fruity aroma. One of the fruits he would eat by the port when he stayed past dinner and was starving.

_Paopu_.

He blinked.

* * *

The next time Riku stumbled upon the little bakery was, again eight in the morning and he was _dying_. Exams had destroyed him, due dates swinging left and right, with Riku running 90% on caffeine and pure stress. The only reason why he wasn’t in bed collapsing as soon as he finished his project and delivered (worst all-nighter he’s had) was simply because he wanted warm pastries to eat before he hibernated for an entire month.

Specifically, the warm pastries that _Dearly Beloved_ sold.

As soon as Riku walked past the door, a little bell ringed on top to announce he was there. The shuffling of pans and mugs could be heard, and Sora’s cheerful “welcome!” echoed in. Riku took a few seconds to soak in the warmth of the little shop. Thanks to the ovens that were inside, the air was pleasantly cozy. He sat down on the table by the window and slumped over.

“You seem tired,” Sora’s voice came like chiming bells. “Tough week?”

Riku hummed out, enjoying the way the scent of melted butter clung to Sora.

“Exams,” Riku clarified. With an opened eye, he watched Sora make a face. He laughed slightly. “I just want to eat and sleep.”

“Well, I can help with one!” Sora said with a content smile. “Anything you want?”

“Melonpan?” 

Sora’s face dropped a little.

“It’s still in the oven…I ran a bit late today,” he said.

“Oh…” Riku said. The disappointment must have been clear in his mind because as soo sn as he sighed, Sora was fumbling to grab the menu.

“But! We have more! The chocolate chip cookies are almost done, a-and, the gingerbread is freshly out!”

Gingerbread?

“I’ve never tried that,” he said. “Is it good?”

“It’s the best!” Sora said, clasping his hands in his excitement. “Roxas and I would steal it from our uncle’s bakery all the time…!”

Riku chuckled.

“Then I guess I’ll have to try it,” Riku said. Sora finally relaxed.

“Anything to drink?”

Riku yawned loudly. And then blushed.

“I don’t think caffeine would do me any good today,” he said. “I’ll take it to go, in fact.”

“You sure?” Sora asked, puppy eyes as he stared down at Riku. “You don’t wanna stay?”

He wanted to. He really did.

“Not unless you’re okay with me passing out in the chair,” he joked. Thankfully, it returned the smile in Sora’s face.

“Duly noted!” he chirped. “Now, wait here until I get your bag!”

Sora said this and carefully placed his index finger on Riku’s forehead, giving it a light poke. Riku blinked, feeling the tingling sensation of petals blooming just where Sora had touched. His hands went to instinctively grab at where the boy had touched and stared at Sora’s beaming face.

“What’s that for?” he asked.

“A get-well charm,” Sora replied with a little hum. “To help you relax a bit! It’s bad to run on low battery, you know?”

Riku nodded slowly. Sora turned around and left, leaving him dumbfounded. As he watched the smaller one go, Riky began to feel his eyelids grow heavy. He yawned, the tiredness overtaking him as if it were the slow tide of the waves, coming closer to the shore. He rested his head against his arms, watching people go by through the window. That underlining scent of clove and butter which reminded him so _much_ of Sora was floating around. A soft caress of his touch, almost as if he was still there. He closed his eyes briefly, in an attempt to wash away the sleep that was falling through his lashes. Just a second. Two…Maybe three…

When he opened his eyes, the sun was hitting him directly. Shining bright in the middle of the sky, was the sun. Staring down at him, as Sora’s voice humming out sang a familiar melody. 

“_Someday my prince will come_,” Riku heard those words, sighing out loud, enjoying the warmth of the sun. “_Someday we’ll meet again…And away to his castle, we’ll go…To live happy forever I know…”_

Riku’s eyes shifted towards the wall opposite to him. The little clock of the Sleeping Beauty’s castle was ticking by. Riku’s eyes focused ever so slightly, trying to catch the numbers.

Ten in the morning.

Riku jumped awake.

“Ah! You’re up?” Sora’s voice called. From where he was sitting, Riku managed to see Sora. He was covered in flour, his hands sticky with batter which he wiped on his apron. His flushed cheeks and beaming smile were directed at Riku, undivided. “I guess my little charm worked too well!”

Riku pretended to wipe something from his face, in a poor attempt to hide his blush.

“Sorry for that…” he managed to say. But Sora just shook his head with a kind-hearted smile.

“Don’t worry, I get it. I’m glad you could sleep through all the noise though! There were so many people today, that I thought they were gonna wake you up!”

“I doubt it,” he laughed. “I was really tired…And it was hard not to relax so much here. It’s a lovely place.”

Riku didn’t miss how Sora’s entire face lit up at the mention.

“Thanks!” Sora said. The way he hid his flushed face under his lashes was enchanting. Almost like little flowers were blooming by his sides. “I’m glad…I always wanted to make people smile. And when they eat what I bake they do! I enjoy putting little spells on them, so they feel better when they do...I guess in some way, I wanted to make this place to be like a piece of home! For those who don't have one.”

Although the smile never faded, and his hopeful voice carried a wish, Riku noted that Sora’s eyes hid a glint of sadness. A memory that weighted his heart, even if Sora didn’t seem to let it stop him.

“It is,” Riku said. “It reminds _me_ of home, at least.”

“Really!?”

He nodded slightly. Although it wasn’t exactly the place. It was Sora, who carried that sweetness with him. A rose-colored nostalgia seemed to follow him around, charming everything into a precious portrait. It was so easy to get lost in the sea of colors Sora brought. And Riku, who had always dreamed of painting them, couldn’t help being drawn to them.

“It’s warm like back in the Islands,” he said.

“Destiny Islands?” Sora asked. Riku nodded. “You’re from there? Ah! Wait!”

Sora rushed to the back of the store, leaving Riku confused. He came back, holding a little cupcake.

“They’re still on development! But you can try them!” Sora said, giving it to Riku. “I have a friend who’s from the Islands! She brought back some of the native fruits, and I tried making some cupcakes with them.”

Riku stared at it. The cupcake looked to be vanilla, with yellow frosting. A chuckle escaped him when he saw the Donald Duck cupcake liner. All of Sora’s cupcakes had different Disney characters on them, which Riku found endlessly adorable.

Sora watched him expectantly as Riku took the first bite. The flavor hit him instantly, the familiarity of the beaches and the late afternoons drawing by the shore.

“It’s good,” was the only thing he managed to say for a solid minute. Because it _was_. 

“Really? Thank gods!” Sora said, relaxing immediately. Riku guessed he hadn’t tried it already, which prompted him, without much thought, to offer the one he was holding. Sora took a bite. “It is! I thought it was gonna come out all gooey!”

“Gooey?” Riku asked, eating what was left of the cupcake. His mind kept running, wondering what the familiar taste of the fruit was. “Why?”

“Well, paopu is kinda sticky once you slice it,” Sora said, Riku stopped mid-bite. “It should have messed with the consistency, but it didn’t!”

_Paopu_.

He coughed loudly, feeling his throat constrict and the blush in his face rush up.

“Riku!? Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine!” Riku managed to wheeze out. He was definitely not fine. Not when his heart was racing so fast, he could hear it trying to get out of his ribcage. “I-I should be going.”

He finished what was left of the cupcake, and reached for the white bag with the gingerbread Sora had brought him. Despite Riku’s sudden outburst, the little baker didn’t seem too shaken by it.

“You’ll come back, right?” Sora asked. “It’s nearly November! Roxas is going to teach me how to make Pan de Muerto-, I think that’s how it’s pronounced? He says it’s tasty with hot chocolate!”

Riku’s heart aches when Sora says that. The image of having hot chocolate with Sora, in the little bakery, was enough to make anything worth it. He smiled.

“I’ll look forward to that,” he said. “See you later, Sora.”

The last thing he saw was Sora’s beaming smile.

**Author's Note:**

> i just wanted to write a fic where wicca sora baked cakes to make everyone smile. ASJLKAJ also catch me only using mexican types of breads bcs honestly there's no better bread. if you haven't tried it, you havent tasted beauty.
> 
> anyways, i was /about/ to let this sit in the bottom of the drawer and not finish it, but @LinaHishi was interested in it and im a slave to my people so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯. Now i'll go make the dia de muertos fic, and then the demon riku one. rip me.


End file.
